Telegraph transmitter



5 J. L. DE BOO 2,781,415

TELEGRAPH TRANSMITTER Filed Dec. 10, 1953 57 2 39 63 6 757 l 77 35 VIWVVWVV' 36 2g 42 f I [J a) "71k 64 66 37 34 li. w I 56 27 29 3g 53 |l|.. O r 52 2a 46 t a 5 3| 54 47 FIG. I

INVENTOR JEROME L. DEBOO ATTORNEY TELEGRAPH TRANSMITTER Jerome L. De Boo, Barrington, Ill., assignor to Teletype Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application December 10, 1953, Serial No. 397,319

Claims. (Cl. 178-47) The present invention pertains to telegraph transmitters and more particularly to cam controlled signal generators therefor.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a compact and efficient cam controlled means for generating signals.

Another object of the invention is to provide a signal generator wherein unnecessary motions have been eliminated thus rendering the transmitter capable of being operated with greater precision.

More specifically, the arrangement according to the present invention provides a transmitter having a signal generator comprising a rocker member actuated through the instrumentality of specially conformed interponents by a series of sequentially operable cams and wherein is provided a special detent means adapted to accurately constrain the interponents to a certain path of movement while precluding other movements.

A better understanding of the invention may be had from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is an elevational view of the signal generator embodying the present invention, and

Pig. 2 is a view representing an alternate condition of operation of the device shown in Fig. 1.

In the embodiment of the invention to be described hereinafter, the details of the telegraph transmitter which cooperate with the device according to the present invention, but which do not constitute a part of the combination comprising the invention, have not been shown in the drawings and will not be described herein since they are shown and described in United States Patent No. 2,607,848, granted August 19, 1952, to W. I. Zenner, which disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, and made a part hereof.

Briefly, the apparatus embodying the device according to the present invention embraces primarily a base portion which is provided at its forward portion with a keyboard (not shown) of usual form, and which is adapted to house the key lever 11, shown in section in Fig. l, and the selector mechanism operated thereby, exemplified by the code bars 12. Mounted on the base are the signal generator 13 and related parts which are selectively controlled by the aforementioned selector mechanism of which code bars 12 are a part. A motor (not shown) for supplying the power for operating the keyboard transmitter is appropriately mounted on the base portion in position to effect the rotation of the operating shaft 14. The cyclic rotation of the transmitting earns carried on shaft 14 is governed by a single revolution clutch, as set forth in the aforementioned patent.

Having reference to Fig. l, the key levers 11 control the setting of code bars 12 permutably. As set forth in said patent, the code bars 12 are normally biased rightwardly by individual springs (not shown), but are held in their leftward position by a bail member (similar to bail member 48 disclosed in said patent) which'bears against suitable shouldered portions on the code bars 12.

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The code bars 12 are normally restrained against rightward movement by said bail member under the control of a key controlled trip-olf means (not shown) of a nature substantially as disclosed in said patent.

As more fully described in said patent, the clutch for controlling the rotation of shaft 14 is of the single revolution type, and is normally locked against rotation by a release lever (not shown) controlled by a universal bar 16 upon the actuation of a key lever 11. According to the present invention, each of the code bars 12 is provided with a vertically projecting portion 17, the upper end of each of which is adapted to cooperate in abuttal relation with a projection 18 of a specially conformed interponent member 19. Interponents 19 are mounted on a common rod 21 appropriately located below the shaft 14, and are provided with individual cam follower portions 22 adapted to cooperate with their respective transmitting earns 15, interponents 19 are normally biased upwardly and counterclockwise simultaneously by individual springs 23, said interponents being slotted at 24 to permit vertically reciprocating movement thereof by cams 15. Interponents 19 are thus subjected to two kinds of motion; namely, oscillatory and reciprocatory. Cams 15 are helically arranged around shaft 14 to effect the reciprocation of interponents 19 sequentially, in a manner well known in the art.

Each of the interponents 19 is provided at its upper end with a pair of arms 25 and 26, having inwardly directed and confronting abutment portions 27 and 2%, respectively, adapted to overhang a corresponding pair of abutments 29 and 31 of a rockable or oscillatable member 32 supported pivotally on a pivot rod 33. Thus, when the code bar 12 is actuated rightwardly in response to a marking condition, its projection 17 will actuate interponent 19 in a clockwise direction to present abutment 27 over the abutment 29 of the rocker member 32. Then when the interponent 19 is depressed by its cam 15 the rocker member 32 will be rotated to its counterclockwise position, Fig. 2.

Cooperating with the upper extension 34 of the rocker member 32, on opposite edges thereof, are a pair of stabilizing elements or retainers 35 and 36 suitably supported on studs 37 and 38 respectively, and normally biased to ward each other, and toward the extension 34 by a common spring 39. Retainers 35 and 36 are alternately eifective to maintain the rocker member 32 in its clockwise or counterclockwise position. For example, rocker member 32 in rocking from its clockwise position shown in Fig. 1 to its counterclockwise position shown in Fig. 2, will urge retainer 35 leftwardly against the pull of spring 39 and the coaction of camming surface 77 and stud 42 will cause the retainer 35 to rotate counterclockwise about its pivot 37 until end 78 of retainer 35 has slipped off of the extension 34 of rocker 32, whereupon retainer 36 will have dropped behind extension 34 permitting spring 39 as shown in Fig. 2 to maintain the rocker member 32 in the counterclockwise position.

The rocker member 32 functions through a link 46 to control the transmitting contact assembly contained in the housing 47. Link 46 is articulated to the rocker 32 in such a manner that the knife edge extremity 48 of link 46 is caused to bear normally in a V-shaped groove 49 by means of a spring 51 distended between the opening 52 in rocker member 32 and a lug 53 on link 46. The righthand end of link 46 (as viewed in Fig. 1) is articulated to the operating lever 54 of the contact assembly by engaging a notch 55 therein. Operating lever 54 is connected pivotally to the stem of a T-shaped lever 56. Each of the arms of the T-lever 56 is provided on its underside with a contact point 57 which cooperates respectively with fixed contact points 58 carried on a bracket 59. At a point centrally located between the contacts 57, the swingable T-lever 56 is provided with a V-shaped notch 61 which cooperates with an arm of a substantially U- shaped member 62, the other arm of which cooperates with a V-shaped notch 63, in a bracket 64 mounted in thehousing 47. A spring '65 havin'g' one end attached to the member 62 has the other end attached to a spring post 66. The spring 65 is thus so connected that the member 62 will be urged normally in a clockwise direction (Fig. l), urging the contact points 57 toward their associated Contact points 5'8. With the notch 61 centrally located, a balanced pressure is exerted with respect to both of the contact 'points 57. In actual practice the operating lever 56 will normally be held in such a position that only one contact pair 5758 will be 'elo's'edat a time. Thus, the "operating lever '56 will be in unediits two positions, or moving from one to the other, which causes the Tleve'r 56 to be positioned in such a manner as to cause one or the contact points 5 7 to fulcrum about its associated contact point 57. As a change of selection is made in the operating lever 5'4, under the control of the rocker member 32, as will presently appear, the T .-lev'er 56 will be moved from one position to the other, and'as the lever 56 is not pivoted about an external point, it will fulcrum about the contact pair which is desired to be closed.

Also slidably mounted on rod 21 'is a 'detent member 67 which is guided at its upper end by a stud 68 adapted to cooperate slidably with the open ended slot 69. Detc'nt "67 is urged in an upwarddirection by 'a spring 71 to normally coact with a cam 72 carried on the shaft 1 1. Detent member 67 is provided with a knife edge instrumentality 73 adapted to cooperate with individual knife edge instrumentalities 74 depending from the several 'in terponents 1'9. lnterponents 19 are also provided with stop portions "75 and 76 adapted to cooperate with the knife edge 73 to limit the clockwise and counterclockwise movement of'the respective interponents 19.

The timing of cam '72 is such that when'the code bars 12 are positioned or set permutably pursuant to the actuation of a key lever 13, the interponents 19 will be correspondingly positioned in their clockwise andcounter'clockwise positions to cause stops 7S and 76, respectively, to bear against the knife edge '73, so that during the early part of the cycle of rotation of shaft 1d, and hence cam 72, the detent member '67 will be permitted to rise due to the pull of spring 71, to bring the knife edge 73 to its upper position, with depending knife edges 74 disposed on the right or -left side of knife edge '73, depending upon the permutedsetting of interponents 19. The interponents 19 will therefore be locked against rightward or leftward movement by having the knife edge 73 positioned either between a stop 75 and aknife edge 74, or between a stop 76 or a knife edge 74. The interp'onents '19 are not, however, locked against vertical movement under the control of cams 15. The instrumentalities 73 and '74 thus provide an interlocking means whereby vertical movement of the interponents 19 is afforded while other movements of the-interponents 19 is precluded. With this arrangement, it is possible to-reset or reposition the code bars 12 in accordance with a new code combination, while the signal generator is operating to transmit the preceding code signaL'thus providing an overlap.

in the operation of the arrangement according to the present invention, the code bars 12 are positioned permutably in response to the operation of key lever 11, and, through projections 1'7, to thereby correspondingly position' the interponents 19 in their rightward (clockwise) or leftward (counterclockwise) positions. The timing is such that before the code bars 12 'are'return'ed to their leftward position, the cam 72 will have rotated sufiiciently to permit the detent 67 to rise to cause the knife edge 73 to cooperate with the right or left side of depending knife edge "74.

While the interponents it) are'thus constrained, the hey meat 27 is positioned over the abutment 29', then the I rocker member 32 will be rocked in a counterclockwise direction to assume the position shown in Fig. 2. Conversely, if an abutment 28 is positioned over the abutment 31, then the rocker member 32 will be rocked in a clockwise direction to the position shown in Fig. 1. The interponents 19 are thus constrained for vertical reciprocation, despite the further movement of code bars 12 pursuant to the immediately succeeding operation of a key lever, to insure positive response of rocker member 32 in accordance with the presently operated key lever.

Although a preferred form of the invention has been disclosed and described, it is obvious that changes may be made in the details set forth without departing from the essentials of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a transmitter, a signal generator comprising a rocker member, a series of sequentially operable cams, an interponent individually associated with each cam. said interponen't having a cam portion cooperable with its individually associated cam and having elements operably disposed with respect to said rocker member, means for setting said interponents in accordance with a predetermined code comprising settable code bars having facilities in-abuttal relation with said interponents, means for operating said cams to actuate said interponents sequentially, transmitting contact means, means controlled by said rocker member for controlling the actuation of said transmitting contact means, a vertically slidable detent member, a further cam means for vertically re cipro'catin'g said detent member, and interlocking means comprising cooperating instrumentalities associated with said 'in'terpon'en'ts and said detent member for constrain ing said'interpone'nts to vertical movement, whereby vertical reciprocating movement of said interponents is atforded while a succeeding code signal setting is facilitated to thereby provide an overlap.

2. In a transmitter, a signal generator comprising a U-shaped rocker member having vertically directed abutment portions, a series of sequentially operable cams, an interponent individually associated with each cam, said interponent having a pair of vertically directed elements with confronting abutment portions adapted to be selectively presented over said first mentioned abutment portions, cam follower means integrally associated with said interponent for cooperating with said cams, means for setting said interpo-nents in accordance with a predetermined code comprising settable code barshaving facilities in 'abuttal relation with said interponen'ts, means for operating said camsto actuate said interponents sequen tially, transmitting contact means, means controlled by said rocker member for controlling the actuation of said transmitting contact means, a vertically slidable detent member, a further cam means for vertically reciprocating said detcnt member, and interlocking means comprising cooperating instrumentalities associated with said interponents and said detent member for constraining said interpon'ents to vertical movement, whereby vertical reciprocatory movement of said interponents is afforded while a succeeding code signal setting is facilitated to thereby provide an overlap.

3. In a transmitter, a signal generator comprising a rocker member having a pair of vertically directed abutment portions of sequentially operable cams, an interponent individually associated with each cam, said interponent having a pair of vertically directed arms termi nating in confronting abutment portions adapted to be selectively presented over said first mentioned abutment portions, cam follower meansintegrally associated with each said interponent for cooperating with said cams, means for setting said interponents in accordance with a predetermined code comprising settable code bars having facilities in abuttal relation with said interponcnts, means for operating said cams to actuatesaid interponentssequeutially, transmitting contact'means, means controlled by saidrocker member for controlling the actuation of said transmitting contact means, a vertically slidable detent member, a further cam means for vertically reciprocating said detent member, and interlocking means comprising cooperating instrumentalities associated with said inteiponents and said detent member for constraining said interponents to vertical movement, whereby vertical reciprocatory movement of said interponents is afforded while a succeeding code signal setting is facilitated to thereby provide an overlap.

4. In a transmitter, a signal generator comprising an oscillatable member having a pair of abutment portions, 21 series of sequentially operable cams, an interponent individually associated with each cam, said interponent having a pair of arms terminating in confronting abutment portions adapted to be selectively presented over said first mentioned abutment portions, cam follower means integrally associated with each said intcrponent for cooperating with said cams, means for setting said interponents in accordance with a predetermined code comprising settable code bars having facilities in abuttal relation with said interponents, means for operating said cams to actuate said interponents sequentially, transmit ting contact means, means controlled by said oscillatable memberfor controlling the actuation of said transmitting contact means, a slidable detent member, a further cam means for reciprocating said detent member, and interlocking means comprising cooperating instrumentalities associated with said intcrponents and said detent member to constrain said slidable detent member to a predetermined path of movement, whereby relative movement between said interponents and said detent member is afforded while reoperation of said setting means in accordance with a succeeding code signal is facilitated to thereby provide an overlap.

5. In a transmitter, 21 signal generator comprising an oscillatable member having a pair of abutment portions, a series of sequentially operable cams, an interponent having two kinds of motion associated with each cam, said interponent having a pair of arms terminating in confronting abutment portions adapted to be selectively presented over said first mentioned abutment portions, cam follower means integrally associated with each said interponent for cooperating with said cams, means for setting said iuterponents in accordance with a predetermined code comprising settable code bars having facilities in abuttal relation with said interponents, means for operating said cams to actuate said interponents sequentially, transmitting contact means, means controlled by said oscillatable member for controlling the actuation of said transmitting contact means, a detent member, a further cam means for actuating said detent member, and interlocking means comprising cooperating instrumentalities associated with said interponents and said detent member for constraining said interponents to one of said two kinds of motion while precluding the other of said two kinds of motion, whereby relative movement between said intcrponents and said detent member is afforded while reoperation of said setting means in accordance with a succeeding code signal is facilitated to thereby provide an overlap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,110,506 Gn'fiith Mar. 8, 1938 2,274,911 Spencer Mar. 3, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 808,620 France July 8, 1952 

